Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Pulling out all the stops on Boston's organs

It's hard not to sound a little funny when you're talking about organs. For instance, when I say that Boston is home to some small organs, some beautiful organs, and some enormous organs (like the famous one in Methuen, at left), I know half of you are going to collapse in fits, giggling "Tom Garvey said 'organ'!" over and over. So go right ahead, you churls! Because it's true, it's true. Boston is home to some major organs. And they make some beautiful music, let me tell you!

But don't take my word for it; this week you have a chance to . . uh, encounter these organs yourself, thanks to Pipe Organ Encounters, a conference and concert series going on all over town this week. Tonight there's a concert at Old West Church on Cambridge Street in Boston; tomorrow, the mighty "Boston Music Hall Organ" (at left) will crank up in Methuen. And on Thursday (not Friday, as I stated earlier by mistake!), organist Peter Krasinski will play along to Buster Keaton's classic The Cameraman at St. Paul's Cathedral on Tremont St (this should be a particular treat; you haven't really seen - much less heard - a silent movie until you've seen it with live musical accompaniment). The whole schedule is here. The Boston concerts are free and open to the public; the Methuen concert costs $12. But then, you know, size not only matters - it costs more! ;-)